Children’s inventions combat climate change and protect the nature of Estonia

Tomorrow, on 28 June, another winning entry of the children’s invention contest will be opened at Lotte Village, which will teach children to protect the forest and nature. The full-scale work will become a permanent exhibit at the Lotte Village theme park, which will be complemented in 2020 by a show tailored specifically for this. The author of the winning entry in the invention contest is 11-year-old Emili Matjušenko from Ida-Viru County.

The invention, “Save Our Planet” turned out to be the favourite invention of both parents and children among the ten finalists and over 130 works that were received in the invention contest. Considering the fact that this year, almost every work was related to the issues of climate change, environmental protection and cleaning up litter, Emili’s work summed up the main message of the invention contest – children feel what is happening in nature, and try to think about how to improve the situation.

The second place in this year’s contest was won by three-year-old Järva County resident Kermo Kleen’s “Invention drawing machine” and third place was won by four-year-old Tallinn resident Magnus Erik’s work “Lamp of wonderful dreams”. After the emergency situation has ended, all three winners and their families will be able to fly to London, Berlin, or Copenhagen, supported by SEB and airBaltic.

According to the winner of the invention Emili Matjušenko, our environment currently faces many problems, and some of these seem very major and complex. “For example, the mountains of plastic in the ocean, or acid rain. This might lead a child to think that there is seemingly nothing that can be done about it. But the situation is actually the opposite: every child can clean up rubbish after themselves and plant trees or other plants, look after these, and water them, if necessary,” said Matjušenko. Now, one can take an envelope with seeds home from Lotte Village, which they can use to plant a tree. The invention, built with the help of the State Forest Management Centre, provides guidelines on how and where it is suitable to plant spruce or pine seeds. A sample area introducing different-age forest trees has also been established next to the invention.

“For the third time already, Lotte Village will gain an attraction, the idea for which children came up with. The invention contest shows us how aptly children sense the issues that have arisen around us, and thanks to the contest, they are able to voice their concern and contribute as well. While in the first year, the invention that opens sweet wrappers with a key targeted the conscious consumption of sweets, in the previous year, an invention related to maintaining mental health was in front of us. This year, a good half of all received works were directed at resolving environment-related challenges, which is a sign for both Lotte Village and parents that this topic needs to be discussed with children,” commented the CEO of Lotte Village theme park Margit Toodu on the inventions of Estonian children.

Over 130 works were received in the SEB and Lotte Village invention contest that took place from January to March 2020. Invention projects arrived from all around Estonia, works were submitted in both Estonian and Russian, and the most active inventors were primary school pupils. A 3-year-old inventor turned out to be the youngest participant in the contest. Several inventors submitted a total of five works to the contest.

Ending of the contest and the ceremonial unveiling of the winning work will take place on 28 June in the Lotte Village theme park. On 28 June, each Estonian child who brings along their own invention project, may enter the park free of charge. On site, it is possible to participate in the awards ceremony of the invention contest, which is hosted by the best inventors of Gadgetville.

For the third year in a row, SEB, in cooperation with Lotte Village, is organising a children’s invention contest, the purpose of which is to spread the values of innovation and entrepreneurship among Estonian children.

Design of this year’s invention

Additional info:

Evelin Allas
Communications Manager
Marketing and Communications Division
SEB Pank

Phone: +372 6655 649
Mobile: +371 5111 718
Address: Tornimäe 2, 15010 Tallinn
E-mail: evelin.allas@seb.ee